The Hornet - April 2021

Best Warrior Competition, COVID Support and More

North Carolina National Guard Quarterly Issue

April 2021 www.nc.ng.mil

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Director of Public Affairs Lt. Col. Matthew DeVivo matthew.r.devivo.mil@mail.mil

Inside this Issue:

Media Relations Maj. Matthew Boyle matthew.i.boyle.mil@mail.mil

Community Relations Maj. Michael Wilber michael.j.wilber2.mil@mail.mil

Visual Information Staff Sgt. Brendan Stephens brendan.p.stephens.mil@mail.mil

145th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Master Sgt. Nathan Clark nathan.t.clark.mil@mail.mil

Writers/Photographers Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan robert.b.jordan2.mil@mail.mil Staff Sgt. Mary Junell mary.e.junell.mil@mail.mil Staff Sgt. Leticia Samuels leticia.m.samuels.mil@mail.mil Sgt. Joe Roudabush joe.f.roudabush.mil@mail.mil Spc. Alonzo Clark Alonzo.l.clark2.mil@mail.mil

Social Media Sgt. Odaliska Almonte ncngpao@gmail.com The Hornet magazine is an authorized publication for members of the North Carolina National Guard. Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of or endorsed by the NCNG, United States Government or the Department of Defense. The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the Public Affairs Office of the NCNG. General comments and suggestions should be addressed to Mary.E.Junell.mil@mail.mil or call 984-664-6590.

Layout and design by Staff Sgt. Mary Junell

On The Cover:

Spc. Kaymarie Jones, a motor transport operator with the 732nd Forward Support Company, drags a weighted dummy underneath barbed wire during a mystery event at the Camp Butner Training Center in Stem, North Carolina on March 9, 2021. The task was one of many events Soldiers and noncommissioned officers faced during this year’s North Carolina National Guard Best Warrior Competition.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Mary Junell

Pg. 7 Citizen-Soldier supports COVID vaccines

Pg. 11 Best Warrior Competition

Pg. 17 145th Airwing Packs it In

Pg. 23 Gov. Cooper visits Guardsmen

Also in This Issue: NC Guard Earns Homeland Security Honors, Pg. 19

Don’t Forget!

You can click on the story descriptions above to go directly to that story! Than click the home button to return here!

NCNG Supports Communication During the 59th Presidential Inauguration, Pg. 22 Guardsmen Continue COVID-19 Support, Pg. 25 Click to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Where is SFC Jordan?

Can you find the tiny version of Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan hidden among these pages? Our well loved photojournalist is hiding somewhere in the Hornet!

The North Carolina National Guard celebrates its 358th birthday with a cake-cutting on March 24, 2021, at Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina. The NCNG was born from the Carolina Charter, issued in 1663.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month and our organization and the NCNG Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office are committed to protecting our people. We proclaim April 2021 as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month and call upon all service members to actively acknowledge the importance of safely intervening and preventing the crime of sexual assault, by knowing your part and doing your part, because “Protecting Our People Protects Our Mission.”

Members of the North Carolina National Guard received COVID-19 inoculations at NCNG Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, Jan. 8, 2021. These inoculations will help the NCNG defeat the virus, stop the spread of the virus and maintain unit readiness.

North Carolina Air National Guardsmen provide COVID-19 Vaccinations to personnel at Central Prison, Raleigh, North Carolina, Jan. 21, 2021. The Guard teams are fully operational working with the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services and the Dept. of Public Safety.

News From

Tech. Sgt. Nikki Morgan was recently recognized and coined for an outstanding job performance on February 6, 2021, at the North Carolina Air National Guard base, Charlotte Douglas International Airport. North Carolina Air National Guard Chief of Staff, Brig. General Alan R. Cecil, presented Technical Sergeant Morgan with the coin.

Morgan’s efforts over the past 2 years have helped the Wing stay above 90-percent strength for both Fiscal Year 2019, and 2020.

Two Apache attack helicopters from the 1-130th Attack Recon Battalion (ARB), 449th Combat Aviation Brigade, based in Morrisville, flew to Greenville Airport for East Carolina University Army ROTC Program. Cadets gave their oath of acceptance into the ROTC program and got to learn about Army Aviation and the awesome Apache Helicopter.

Several North Carolina National Guard Soldiers of the 881st Engineer Support Company and 151st Mobility Augmentation Company, 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade deployed to the National Guard armory in Rockingham, North Carolina, for winter storm duty, Feb. 18, 2021. The Soldiers, experts in heavy equipment operation, high water military vehicles and transportation, deployed on order from state government to support local civil authorities in central North Carolina.

Around the Nest

Soldiers of the 105th Military Police Battalion prepare for potential civil unrest in North Carolina ahead of President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

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Chief National Guard Bureau, Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson visits NCNG’s 1-130th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (Apache) at the unit’s headquarters in Morrisville, NC., Feb. 3, 2021.

Hokanson was at the 1-130th to see first hand the AH-64-D Longbow in action. Hokanson, an Apache pilot and Master Aviator, flew in a delta model Apache to Fort Bragg, NC, with Chief Warrant Officer 5 Tom Mcauliffe, to learn more about the differences between the Guard’s Apache and active component Apache. Photo by Lt. Col Matthew Devivo.

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Citizen-Soldier uses education to support COVID-19 Vaccine Site

By Staff Sgt. Mary Junell

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hen the Board of Commissioners in Edgecombe County wanted to know who was receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, Karen Lachapelle, the Public Health Director, gave the task to one of the North Carolina National Guard Soldiers supporting her team.

Little did she know the length 2nd Lt. Zachary Kier would go to ensure the board had an accurate picture of the data for the vaccine clinics in Edgecombe County.

"Not only did he look into the system and get the data, he divided it up by zip code so we would know where we needed to target to give more vaccines," Lachapelle said. "He also divided it up by race so we would know where we needed to go."

Kier, who serves as a quartermaster officer with A Company, 230th Brigade Support Battalion, is currently working towards his Master's degree in public administration with a focus on Emergency Management. He attends online courses from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, while also activated as part of a COVID Administrative Support Team, deployed to Edgecombe County.

"I've been taking some data analysis classes, so I've been looking at a lot of the data that we're collecting about our vaccinations and trying to get a better insight into it," Kier said.

Like many National Guardsmen, Kier was able to take his civilian skills and apply them to his military duties, helping the board of commissioners understand how to reach the under-vaccinated communities in Edgecombe county.

"You just don't want to reach one area of the community, you want to reach all areas of the community, and it gave us the opportunity to do some outreach and figure out why we were not reaching the minority communities," Lachapelle said.

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Edgecombe County is a majority-minority county where approximately 60% of the population is black, and almost 40% is white. Yet, when Kier looked at the data, those numbers did not correlate to the demographics of people receiving the vaccine.

"When we looked at the data,

we saw that it was flipped," Kier said. "Out of all the people we had vaccinated, about 60% were white, and only 30% were black.

So we we're trying to figure out why we were not vaccinating at the correct rate of what the county should be and what we could do about it, and this was all driven by data."

The data Kier presented helped the local health department develop plans to reach those communities that are not getting vaccinated.

"Myself and another Soldier are working on some public service announcements and radio advertisements to get out to certain zip codes and

Pfc. Ashley Villanova, a medic with C Company, 230th Brigade Support Battalion, gives a COVID-19 vaccine in the parking lot of the Edgecombe County Human Services building, March 4, 2021.

certain populations," Kier said.

"Eventually, once we get some more vaccines and some more assistance, we're going to start going out to some churches in the black community and bring it right to them to make sure people can get their shot if they want it."

The data Keir dealt with also

affects how many vaccines the county will receive the following week because vaccine distribution is based on the information entered into North Carolina's Covid Vaccination Management System.

Keir and his team have helped the Edgecombe County Health Department give more than 200

vaccines a day by taking over the data entry and registration processes, in turn providing the nurses more time to give vaccines.

It's not a glamourous job, but Kier said he and his team were happy to support the mission any way they can.

"This really is why I joined

the Guard," Kier said. "In the commercials, they don't show you sitting around doing paperwork, but this is the important stuff; this is what lets this pandemic end. Even if I play a very small part in ending the pandemic, it's a great honor. At the end of the day, more vaccines in more arms is what it boils down to."

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A NC Guardsman fires an M240 machine gun at a range at Camp Butner, N.C., March 10, 2021.

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NC Soldiers Compete for Top Honors

By Staff Sgt. Mary Junell

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Sgt. Landon Smith, a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Specialist with the 42nd Civil Support Team, flips a large tire at the Camp Butner Training Center in Stem, North Carolina on March 9, 2021. The tire flipping and medical task that followed after was one of the mystery events Soldiers and noncommissioned officers faced during this year’s North Carolina National Guard Best Warrior Competition.

The top Soldiers from across the North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) came together to face the challenge of the NCNG Best Warrior Competition at Camp Butner Training Center in Stem, North Carolina, March 8-11, 2021.

Five Guardsmen competed to be named the best in the enlisted category, and three more competed to be named the best non-commissioned officer (NCO) in hopes of representing North Carolina at the regional competition planned for May 2021.

Enlisted Soldiers and NCOs first had to compete at their brigade-level competitions before representing their units at the state level. There, they encountered multiple events, including a 12-mile ruck march, weapons qualification, a timed obstacle course, day and night land navigation, a written essay, and a physical fitness test.

“It takes a different mindset, I believe, because there are so many events you have to complete,” said Spc. Kaymarie Jones, a motor transport operator with the 732nd Forward Support Company, who competed in the enlisted category. “You have to be mentally ready as much as you have to be physically ready.”

In addition to the possibility of representing N.C. at the regional competition, Jones said the event was also a chance for growth.

“It’s about the experience and an opportunity to get training and advance your career,” Jones said. “I’m going to take all I can from this and the experience I’ve been given and share it with all the service members of the 732nd Forward Support Company.”

Guardsmen taking the knowledge and experience gained from the Best Warrior Competition back to their units

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is one of the biggest reasons why NCNG leadership thinks it is an important tool in shaping the force.

“The competitors create a brotherhood and a sisterhood amongst themselves.

They get an opportunity to meet new people from across the state, possibly people they would never meet otherwise,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Russel Prince, Senior Enlisted Leader for the North Carolina National Guard. “They form great bonds, and in turn, they share information about other things across the state and the Guard, and I think that sharing of information is very important across all our major subordinate commands.”

On the last day of the competition, the winners were announced during an awards ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh. Spc. Jordan Schuh with the 236th Brigade Engineer Battalion won in the enlisted category, and Sgt. Landon Smith with the 42nd Civil Support Team won in the NCO category.

Both Schuh and Smith will now begin training for the Region III Best Warrior Competition, where they will face off against the top competitors from South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

“It shows that at the end of the day, you’re willing to go above and beyond, fulfilling your obligation, then continuing to take more onto your plate,” Smith said.

“To do stuff like this, you’ve got to be hungry.”

Schuh and Smith will take their hunger to the Region III competition scheduled to be held in Alabama in May of 2021.

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The 145th Airlift Wing Packs it up!

Story by Staff Sgt. Laura Montgomery

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ir Conditioning Units, mobile stairs, and military trucks; oh my! Airmen assigned to the 145th Airlift Wing complete a Cargo Deployment Function exercise at the North Carolina Air National Guard Base located at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, Feb. 7, 2021.

The purpose of a Cargo Deployment Function exercise is similar to a Personnel Deployment Line, wherein, pallets loaded with equipment and

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individual pieces of large equipment are processed through a series of checks and balances before making their way to be placed on an aircraft; an assembly line of sorts.

“We have to make sure each piece that goes on that aircraft is not a liability,” stated Officer in Charge of the Cargo Deployment Function, Capt.

Jack Hogue, “We don’t want to put something on the aircraft that has hazardous material or that is out of balance and may make the aircraft crash.”

The first step in the Cargo Deployment Function is to check-in the equipment that is scheduled to be loaded, and to make sure it is on the manifesto. Once the item(s) is checked in, it is inspected to make sure that it’s safe to have on an aircraft. Once the item is deemed safe, it is then run through quality assurance and planning where it is decided how and where the item will be placed on the aircraft. The final step of the process is sending the item to the aircraft to be loaded by

a team.

There is strategy and care that takes place when getting the equipment stationed on an aircraft.

“The cart that we’re pushing up has an articulated tongue, so that means there are two places that can pivot which makes it more difficult,” states Air Transportation Specialist Staff Sgt. Jason Moore, 145th Logistics Readiness Squadron. “The training we’re doing now is for an exercise in December so the weather should be

similar.”

This is Staff Sgt. Moore’s second time conducting an exercise like this and having worked in the North Carolina Air National Guard for six years, he’s had plenty of practice moving items on and off aircraft.

For some, the exercise is new.

“I’ve been in the North Carolina Air National Guard for one and a half years and I just finished training at school so this is my first exercise like

this here at the base,” stated Airman 1st Class Shelby Rankin, 156th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. “We have new people and they want us to practice on tying down chains, marshaling, and working together on the aircraft.”

The positive attitudes and overall atmosphere promote that the exercise conducted exactly as expected.

“We’ve been practicing and we’re pretty good,” Staff Sgt. Moore exclaimed.

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NC Guard Earns Homeland Security Honors

By Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan

North Carolina National Guard Soldiers assigned to the NCNG Joint Operations Center, update computers at the JOC in Raleigh, North Carolina, Jan. 20, 2020.

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he North Carolina National Guard earned the Homeland Security Information Network (HISN) 2020 Incident Support Gold Award honoring NCNG information networking and communications excellence as part of their ongoing homeland security mission.

The award highlighted the NCNG Joint Operations Center's use of the HISN in coordinating and sharing information within the Guard and with local, state and national partners, peers and agencies last year.

The JOC, located at the NCNG Headquarters in Raleigh, was a hub of activity. Dozens of monitors were constantly updated with NCNG operations, locations of Soldiers and Airmen and mission requirements. A team of NCNG experts on duty 24/7 built a common information picture using the network for leaders at all levels to make better, more informed decisions in real time.

“It is essential to make quick decisions and get everyone involved in the mission,” said North Carolina Army

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National Guard Maj. Shawna Fitzpatrick, Knowledge Manager, NCNG Operations, Knowledge Management Office.

All year HISN improved NCNG actions including COVID-19 missions, civil unrest duty, Hurricanes Isaias and Sally, and yearlong cyber operations.

“It (the award) is amazing but well deserved, we leveraged the technology for a deeper understanding and shared situational awareness,” said NCARNG Col. Brent Orr, Director of Military Support According to a Homeland Security release, the JOC creatively used HSIN for interagency collaboration and communication for thousands of personnel including NCNG leadership at all levels, state emergency management partners, FEMA Region 4 partner states, the National Guard Bureau, U.S. Northern Command, and many others.

“With HSIN, partners had the ability to quickly mine information for acute shared situational awareness, which in turn streamlined the workload of the Current Operations Team in the JOC,”

said Fitzpatrick.

Using HSIN Connect, meeting attendees were able to easily and quickly access real-time data and instantly communicate and plan for current and upcoming operations. The JOC also maintained mission tracking progress within HSIN Connect, which was used to supplement discussions during meetings and resulted in more efficient planning processes.

“Military networks often create barriers that limit the ability to effectively share mission data, but HSIN Connect eliminates these barriers and provides multiple avenues of accessibility such as with mobile phone apps and browsers,” said Fitzpatrick. “Effective communication is crucial for success during an incident or event, and HSIN Connect provided the key tool to make this happen. Its ease of use and accessibility were leveraged to help create shared situational understanding across the NCNG, state, and national stakeholders, which led to successful and timely decision making for NCNG incident responses.”

north carolina National guard

employment center The North Carolina National Guard Employment Center’s purpose is to increase career opportunities for all Reserve Component Soldiers, Veterans, Spouses, and qualifying dependents by developing proactive positive relationships with North Carolina employers and connecting our service members with those employers through all available channels in order to obtain stable careers and optimal retention.

If your resume has not produced results, it’s time for a change. Local HR representatives have given your employment counselor the tricks of the trade and they have the connections to get you interviews.

We can’t give you the job but we can give you the tools to be successful.

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE • Resume Preparation

• Vast Employer Network

• Career Counseling

• Access to Networking Events

• Interview Prep • Military Work Translations

• State Wide Employment Assistance

Sign up online at ncngemploymentcenter.com or contact us at (984) 664-6463.

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NCNG Supports Communication During the 59th Presidential Inauguration

By Sgt. Lisa Vines

Soldiers and Airmen from North Carolina set up a satellite in Washington, D.C., from January 13 through to the January 20, 2021, during the Presidential Inauguration.

Photo by Capt. Chelsea Beale

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he North Carolina National Guard deployed nine Soldiers and one Airman from across the state to set up and maintain a Joint Incident Site Communications Capability (JISSC) team supporting the Presidential Inauguration, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington, D.C. The JISSC team, which is routinely requested for inaugurations, establishes a commercial network for the local tactical operation centers. The network improved Internet and communications and radio interoperability for multiple agencies and various radio types and frequencies.

Setting up the week before the inauguration, the team plans on being activated until the day after the ceremony.

According to Capt. Chelsea Beale, a tactical communications officer assigned to the 105th Engineer Battalion, 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, this is the first

time these Soldiers and Airmen have been activated together.

"When we have opportunities to come out and use this equipment, we try to pull different personnel from the state not only to allow them to see a different kind of mission and to get the opportunity to work on state active duty, but also to push that knowledge out so if something like this happens again we're able to pull from different units," Beale said.

Their missions have included simple rapid tactical communications in the field and the more complex presidential inauguration missions. Although this was their first mission together, they can still quickly set up their equipment, including antennae. On a typical tactical mission, the JISSC team could be ready to provide communications within one to two hours. During more unique missions, such as the presidential inauguration during

the COVID-19 era, having communications ready could take longer.

"Because all these units are coming from all across the nation, they are inhabiting areas where they don't have communications laid out," said Beale. "Our goal is that as soon as the commander gets on ground, they have access to all the platforms that they need."

The NCNG has deployed over 300 Soldiers and Airmen to support the 59th Presidential Inauguration: A security force of 300 personnel, about 10 members from the 42nd Civil Support Team, and Capt. Beal's 10-person JISCC. At least 25,000 National Guard men and women have been authorized to conduct security, communication and logistical missions in support of federal and District authorities leading up and through the Presidential Inauguration.

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Governor Meets Soldiers Deployed to Greensboro's large-scale COVID-19 Community Vaccination Center

By Sgt. 1st Class Robert Jordan

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orth Carolina Governor Roy Cooper toured the federally supported Greensboro Community Vaccination Center located at the Four Seasons Town Centre in Greensboro, North Carolina, March 9, 2021.

He met with several North Carolina National Guard leaders including Maj. Gen. Todd Hunt, NCNG Adjutant General, NCNG Soldiers, other military, and civilian personnel learning more about the indoor and drive-thru

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper greets a North Carolina National Guard Soldier in Greensboro, North Carolina, March 9, 2021.

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vaccination clinics with the capacity to provide up to 3,000 vaccinations per day.

“We are grateful to have all our partners here,” said Cooper.

North Carolina Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry welcomed Cooper to the vaccination clinic set up in a large parking lot and a vacant part of a department store.

Cooper walked to each station where individuals needing an inoculation were registered, given the COVID vaccine, checked for any unexpected reaction.

There was constant activity as he was briefed by civilian and military experts on each area and what it did to make the process run quicker and provide the maximum number of shots with the minimum delay.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, the logistics are amazing,” said Cooper.

There were quick question and answer sessions highlighting operations.

During the entire tour personnel continued operations greeting citizens, answering their questions about the

safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

Administrative teams kept track of each inoculation by computer or wireless tablet. Medical professionals measured the vaccine doses and prepared many syringes for use as medics administered the shots.

“It is very rewarding and I contribute to the community I live in,” said Pvt.

Daniel Snear assigned to the NCNG’s 171st Engineer Company, 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade The federally-supported COVID-19 Community Vaccination Center located at Four Seasons Town Centre is strategically located to continue the state’s goal of vaccinating more marginalized and underserved communities.

The center will be open from March 10 through May 4, seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with the capacity to provide up to 3,000 vaccinations per day. The federal government will provide the center’s vaccine supply, which will be in addition to North Carolina’s weekly vaccine allotment.

A North Carolina National Guard Soldier begins COVID inoculation operations in Greensboro, North Carolina, March 9, 2021.

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MR. KRISTIAN S. HALL North Carolina National Guard JFHQ Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) Office Phone: 984-664-6909 SARC Confidential Cell: (919) 410-1960 Email: kristian.s.hall.mil@mail.mil

MS. K.M. PATTERSON North Carolina National Guard JFHQ Victim Advocate Coordinator (VAC) Office Phone: 984-664-6707 SARC Confidential Cell: (919) 410-2284 Email: kiila.m.patterson2.mil@mail.mil

The Mission of the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Program The SHARP program helps to achieve the goal of the Secretary of Defense to eradicate sexual assault and sexual harassment from the military. SHARP helps to create an Army culture where all Soldiers have the values, tools, and skills to prevent sexual violence. SHARP also provides sensitive care and confidential reporting for victims of sexual assault while holding offenders accountable for their actions.

The goals of the SAPR Program are to: (1) Create a climate that minimizes sexual assault incidents, which impact Army

personnel, Army civilians, and Family members, and, if an incident should occur,

ensure that victims and subjects are treated according to Army policy.

(2) Create a climate that encourages victims to report incidents of sexual assault

without fear.

(3) Establish sexual assault prevention training and awareness programs to educate Soldiers.

(4) Ensure sensitive and comprehensive treatment to restore victims’ health and Well- being.

(5) Ensure leaders understand their roles and responsibilities regarding response

to sexual assault victims, thoroughly investigate allegations of sexual assault, and take

appropriate administrative and disciplinary action and subjects are treated according to

Army policy.